Gabby Malpas NZ, Australia, b. 1966
Gabby Malpas, a Chinese transracial adoptee raised by white parents in NZ., experiences racism through a white lens. Reclaiming her cultural heritage later in life, Malpas immigrated to Australia as an activist addressing cultural identity, racism and immigration. Her trauma in being stuck between two worlds, but not accepted by either, is expressed across 2 and 3 dimensions in watercolour and ceramic. Her work takes a fascinating and often satirical, hybrid form, rich with ancient and contemporary iconography. Challenging the genre of Chinoiserie within her own narrative, Malpas produces works which are beautiful and delicate but with stories that draw you in for a closer look. This is a calculated contrast to the sometimes confronting messages within her art practice.
Malpas is a graduate of the Otago Art School, Dunedin NZ with a major in ceramics. She is a multi-finalist in the Ravenswood, Paddington and Mosman Art Prizes.
A proud maximalist, Gabby Malpas lives and works on Gadigal land of the Eora Nation, Sydney, Australia.
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Gabby MalpasA walk in the Botanic Gardens, Sydney 1 , 2025Watercolour and gouache on canvas
174 x 94 x 5cm -
Gabby MalpasA walk in the Botanic Gardens, Sydney 2, 2025Watercolour and gouache on canvas
170cm x 90cm x 4cm
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Gabby MalpasAfter the Bushfires: Croobyar , 2025Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper
DiptychSold
Each panel 110 x 50cm -
Gabby MalpasAfter the Bushfires: Croobyar , 2025Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper140cm x 57cmSold
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Gabby MalpasBlue Tropical Night , 2025Watercolour and gouaches on a full sheet of Arches paper
Triptych
Each sheet: 57cm x 76cm
$15,000 (3) -
Gabby MalpasGreat Southern land: you’re not from around here, 2025Watercolour and gouaches on a full sheet of Arches57cm x 76cm -
Gabby MalpasI will not love you long time totem, 2025White and buff midfire clays.
Wheel thrown and hand assembled forms, some with applied decoration.
Clear, white and green gloss glazes.
Cobalt oxide freehand brushwork.
Gold lustre.
Forged steel bespoke supportsapprox 160cmSold -
Gabby MalpasI will not love you long time totems, 2025White and buff midfire clays.
Wheel thrown and hand assembled forms, some with applied decoration.
Clear, white and green gloss glazes.
Cobalt oxide freehand brushwork.
Gold lustre.
Forged steel bespoke supports.120cmSold
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Gabby MalpasIn the Botabic Gardens 2, 2025Watercolour and gouaches on a full sheet of Arches paper112 x 70cm -
Gabby MalpasIn the Botanic Gardens, Sydney 1, 2025Watercolour and gouaches on a full sheet of Arches paper105cm x 60cm
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Gabby MalpasNumbat with cabbage flower frog, 2025Wheel thrown and handbuilt vessel in white stoneware 7, midfired clay. Clear glaze.
Resin and gold paint. Glue.
Stand: wheel thrown form with applied decoration in unglazed, midfire 33 clay
Flower frog: recycled grogged clay vessel in the shape of a cabbage with clear green gloss glaze
Approx height assembled: 24cm x 30cm at widest point -
Gabby MalpasSarah’s Garden 1 , 2025Underglazes over white earthenware, under clear glaze
Wheelthrown pots
Gold lustre
Stands: wheel thrown and assembled tazzas with handpainted dragons in cobalt oxide. Clear glaze. Gold lustre
Approx height assembled: 38 – 43cmSold
Diameter: approx.: 23-26cm
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Gabby MalpasSarah’s Garden 1 & 2, 2025Underglazes over white earthenware, under clear glaze
Wheelthrown pots
Gold lustre
Stands: wheel thrown and assembled tazzas with handpainted dragons in cobalt oxide. Clear glaze. Gold lustre
Approx height assembled: 38 – 43cm
Diameter each: approx.: 23-26cm -
Gabby MalpasSarah’s Garden 1&2, 2025Underglazes over white earthenware, under clear glaze
Wheelthrown pots
Stands: wheel thrown and assembled tazzas with handpainted dragons in cobalt oxide. Clear glaze
Gold lustre
Approx height assembled: 38 – 43cm
Diameter each: approx.: 23-26cm -
Gabby MalpasSarah’s Garden 3 & 4, 2025Underglazes over white glazed, midfired stoneware 7
Wheelthrown and coil pots
Gold lustre
Approx height assembled: 38 – 43cm
Diameter each: approx.: 23-26cm -
Gabby MalpasThe Balinese garden: Diptych, 2025Watercolour and gouache on a full sheet of Arches paper57cm x 76cm
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Gabby MalpasThe Hope of Teal, 2025Watercolour and gouache on canvas100 x 150 x 4cm -
Gabby MalpasWelcome to the inside of my head, 2025Watercolour and gouache on canvas
92 x 170 x 4cm -
Gabby MalpasTulip and peach bum temple jar, 2024Underglazes on white earthenware, wheel thrown vessel & legs. Clear glazeapprox 22 x 25cm -
Gabby MalpasDragon tripod temple jar. Chinese cloud stand. Flower frog insert, 2024Vessel: Cobalt oxide brushwork over midfire buff clay.
Stand & flower frog: Green gloss glaze over wheel thrown forms with carved and applied decorationVessel approx 20 x 20cm
Stand 4 x 20cm
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Gabby MalpasRed Thread Interrupted, 2023Watercolour, gouache and collage on vintage topographical map of Hong Kong69 x 102cm sheet size, (framed) -
Gabby MalpasThe Dragon of Grief, 2024Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper110 x 71cm sheet size, (framed) -
Gabby MalpasSpace Invaders: Go back to where you came from, 2024Watercolour and Gouache on Arches Paper76 x 57cm sheet size, (framed) -
Gabby MalpasBlue Pots 2-Ching Chong series, 2024Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper38 x 28cmSold
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Gabby MalpasOthering: Celebrate your difference, 2024Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper28 x 38cmSold -
Gabby MalpasBlue Plate 1-Ching Chong series, 2024Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper28 x 27.5cmSold -
Gabby MalpasBlue Plate 2-Ching Chong series, 2024Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper28 x 27.5cmSold
Awards:
Finalist: Ravenswood Art Prize, Australia 2024
Finalist, North Sydney Art Prize, Australia 2024
Finalist: Art Gemini Prize Singapore 2023
Finalist: Paddington Art Prize Australia 2022
Finalist: Gosford Art Prize Australia 2022/2023
Finalist: FLOW Art prize Australia 2022/2023
Finalist: crackpot cup awards Australia - ceramics 2023
Distinguished Alumini Award: Dunedin Art School NZ, 2021
Finalist: Small Things Art award, Sydney 2021
Finalist: Greenway Art Prize, Sydney 2021
Finalist: Art Revolution Taipei 2017, 2018, invited artist 2019
Finalist: Mosman Art Prize, Australia 2016
Finalist: Moreton Bay Art Prize, Australia 2016
Finalist: Kirribilli Art Prize, Australia 2016
Finalist: Fleurieu Food & Wine Art prize, Australia 2016
Selected to hang: Linden Postcard Show, Australia 2015/2016
Selected to exhibit: James Kiwi Watercolour Prize, Australia 2012, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2021
Highly commended: Westmead Hospital Art Prize, Australia 2012
Finalist: Nora Heysen Centenary Art Prize, Australia - Still life 2011
Highly commended: Watercolour: Blacktown City Art Prize, Australia: 2011 & 2012
Finalist: National Trust Harper's Mansion Art Prize, Australia - Still life 2011
Finalist: Hornsby Art Prize, Australia 2011
Selected solo exhibitions:
Chat Thai X Gabby Malpas: CNY 2024 Feb - Mar 2024
Window Display at the Ridge St Gallery, North Sydney August 2023
'Stop Asian hate', Newtown Art Seat Nov 2022 - Feb 2023
'Poetic Resistance' Baker Miller Pink Gallery Sydney October 2022
The painted garden, Dunedin NZ October 2021
Love and kisses COVID19, Chrissie Cotter Gallery November 2020
Peranakan Dreams, Singapore February 2020
Springtime Happiness, Cordis Hotel, Hong Kong March 2019
The Magic Garden, Artshine Gallery, Chippendale December 2017
Happy: The Crawford Gallery, Sydney March 2017
Chasing the Dragon: Artshine Gallery, Chippendale Nov -Dec 2016
The Other Art Fair, Waterloo, Sydney September 2016
In my mothers' gardens and other stories St Vincents Hospital Dec 2015 - Jan 2016
Leaping rabbit, hidden butterfly Platform72 Gallery, Chippendale August 2015
I will not love you long time and other stories
Breathing Colours Gallery, Balmain May 2015
Where are you from? Platform72, Sydney October 2014
Bringing the Sydney Garden Inside St Vincents Hospital May 2013
Pictures to make you smile St Vincent's Hospital, Paddington, Sydney March 2011
Sydney Pictures Art at Home Gallery, Balmain, Sydney February 2010
Art Sydney 2009/2010, Fox Studios, Sydney Oct 2009/Nov 2010
Commissioned work for in store gallery Liberty Store Art gallery,
Regent St London Oct-Dec 1997
One woman show Christchurch Society of Art Gallery, New Zealand February 1992
Selected group shows:
Work in store: Australian Design Centre, Ongoing 2024
Art + Memory: Dunedin NZ August 2024
Send me Across the Sea, San Francisco, USA April 2024
The Tea Exchange. Museum of Chinese in Australia, Sydney Feb - Apr 2024
Work Instore, The Australian Design Centre, Sydney Feb 2024
The Guangxi Normal University Press Art Gallery October 2023
Culture Crash, Aro Gallery Sydney November 2019
Art Revolution: invited artist: Taipei April 2019
Bloom, Incinerator Artspace October 2018
The Singapore/HK Affordable Art Fairs with Utterly Art, Singapore Nov 2017-present
Dis/Harmony Thienny Lee Gallery, Edgecliff, Sydney July 2017
Underwater escapade Amalgam Art, Barnes London March 1996
Plunket art exhibition Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru New Zealand June 1994
Brush and Spitsticker, West Oxfordshire arts association Oxfordshire February 1993
Art and craft New Zealand Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran Wales August 1992
Anna Mei Chadwick Galleries Summer show Parsons Green London August 1990/1991
Southland Potter's annual exhibition Winton New Zealand May 1991
Timaru City Art Gallery annual exhibition Timaru New Zealand May 1990
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Yvonne East, Gabby Malpas, Chris Wise
6 - 15 July 2025Read more -
Joie de Noël
An exhibition of exquisite small artworks 22 November - 24 December 202420+artists in a variety of genres & media.. BCFA will donate 10% of sales proceeds to Ars Musica Australis - the charity providing young artist scholarships in music performance, dance...Read more
Press:
The Peranakan Association Magazine, Singapore June 2015, April 2019
The Daily Telegraph, Arts section: Gabby Malpas 16 October 2014
The Sydney Morning Herald: Spectrum 12 April 2014
Gabby Malpas: Artist's profile: Australian Art Review: Nov/Dec 2012: Issue 36
Links:
Eastern Standard Times media – Now on SBS Australia:
https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/56-years-of-painting-1-lesson-on-anger/2246643779795
ONE KINGS LANE USA Dec 2017 spotlight:
https://www.onekingslane.com/live-love-home/gabby-malpas-art/
Tourism NZ 2015:
http://media.newzealand.com/en/news/tourism-new-zealand-world-first-embraces-colouring/
Arches paper interview:
http://www.arches-papers.com/the-floral-and-colourful-watercolours-by-gabby-malpas/
Arocolor Shanghai feature article:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/8ItplewowxSTB-G2Cb_WJw
The Universal Asian:
https://theuniversalasian.com/2021/06/01/update-may-2021-7-years-on-from-writing-the-first-piece/
Chatswood Chase Sydney A/W2017 launch collaboration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmMPnbR5o7g
The Peranakan Association of Singapore:
https://www.peranakan.org.sg/2015/08/the-adoptee-as-artist/